How much line on tip-ups?

[BaitWrangler]

I've asked this question before a couple of months ago, but since we are closer to fishing season (already in fishing season for many of you), I thought I might get a better response now.

How much line should I put on my tip ups? I never really paid attention when spooling before.

I will be fishing for pike and bass.

Thanks,
Ed

[Lone Fisher]

i usually only put 50 yards..

[BigBry]

I just put 100yards on mine.. I fish 100ft for ling at night and sometimes dont check my tips for 30min or so

[Tainterslayer]

Mine holds 50 yards so that's what I put on. It fills it close to the edge. I've only had a northern run out all my line once.

[BaitWrangler]

Thank you for the responses  Lone, BigBry and Tainter.

My spools are very large and I will only be fishing 4-20 f.o.w all winter... (The majority of waterways in RI aren't very deep.)

Thanks guys.

[Lone Fisher]

Anytime! 

[Buck762]

I was fishing like 80 or so feet and I didn't have enough line. I had to use a really long leader that day.  I usually out like 50 or more yards now.  Fished with a guy who had mabey 15 feet on his tip-ups.....he would use them for pike fishin on shallow weed beds.

[frozengator]

depends on what your fishing for. Pike and muskie will make a first run stop then go again. bass will usually go like crazy. depends on how close you will be to the tip up . My advise would be put as much as it will hold. and when you set the hook keep the spool in the water to keep the spool from freezing when you go to reset the bait. A good trick I got from them good ole cheese heads is to use a button from a shirt to mark the depth. this way you don't need to keep using a depth finder after each reset. and you can see how much line was ran out too.

[Ice Shark]

Normally run 50 yards but do have some setup for Lakers with 100 yards on them.

[husb0023]

I only spool 25 yards at the most... I fish for pike mostly in the 5-9 foot range.  I've never had a problem.  The most any fish has taken before i got there is maybe 25 yards.

[nbguy]

At least 50yards- you can fish 100fow and still have some for the fish to run.

[BaitWrangler]

I think I will try out some 50 and some 75.

So far I've seen 25,50,100 - so for the depth I will be fishing, and the fact I will be mostly fishing during the day and will not be in a shack, I think 50 to 75 is reasonable.  I was thinking 150 ft. anyways so I am glad others feel the same.

Plus the quickest runs I will likely get will be from potential big pike... but whenever you have very large bait out targeting pike, you seem to run to those tip-up's quicker when the flag goes up anyways, lol. 

[pooley]

i put about 250 yards of 12#mono on my large spools, then 50 yards of dacron line at 45lb test. the mono adds weight to the spool to make it spin better.

[Litchfield Fisher]

I would say as much as it would hold also but not so much as to tangle easily

[Rip N Lips]

100 on most- 250 on the big reels

[SUBCATCHER]

depends on what your fishing for. Pike and muskie will make a first run stop then go again. bass will usually go like crazy. depends on how close you will be to the tip up . My advise would be put as much as it will hold. and when you set the hook keep the spool in the water to keep the spool from freezing when you go to reset the bait. A good trick I got from them good ole cheese heads is to use a button from a shirt to mark the depth. this way you don't need to keep using a depth finder after each reset. and you can see how much line was ran out too.

The button works good.  dont have to keep soundin the holes!

[northernnyice]

I wouldnt just want 50 or 100 yards on mine..you never know what could happen, put on as much as you can..Stop like 1/4 inch from the top of your spool, just so your line cant slip over the edge of the spool.

[Sturno]

I buy bigger spools and put on at least 100 yards on most if not all of mine. I've had some monster runs and big fish over the years that have left me with piles of line laying on the ice....2 of these such fish are now on my wall and wouldn't be if I had less line.

[pike4some]

depends on what your fishing for. Pike and muskie will make a first run stop then go again. bass will usually go like crazy. depends on how close you will be to the tip up . My advise would be put as much as it will hold. and when you set the hook keep the spool in the water to keep the spool from freezing when you go to reset the bait. A good trick I got from them good ole cheese heads is to use a button from a shirt to mark the depth. this way you don't need to keep using a depth finder after each reset. and you can see how much line was ran out too.

Another thing you can use is a small bobber. When you spool it back up it stopps at that spot each time